Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JK Rowling, especially some quotes, which were taken directly from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban chps Nine and Twelve. The lyrics of the song, Cat and Mouse are written and performed by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Please, enjoy.

Cat and Mouse

Lily sat outside watching her one year old son, Harry, walk around the backyard, exploring everything around him. It was a brisk Halloween afternoon with a light breeze to tug at her hair. The neighboring houses were filled with children of eight and nine, already getting dressed to go Trick-or-Treating later on tonight. The leaves cracked underneath Harry’s feet as he stumbled towards a large tree that was centered in the middle of the yard at Godric’s Hallow. He wobbled.

Quickly, Lily was at his side, steadying the toddler so he wouldn’t fall. Harry looked up at his mother and smiled at her, giggling madly before he tried to run off in the opposite direction, thinking that Lily was going to play. But Lily was not in the mood to play. Not at all.

“Lily?”

The voice belonged to the one man Lily ever truly loved. She turned around and saw that her husband, James, was standing at the door, looking relieved to have found her and Harry. She smiled as he came forward, shutting the door quietly behind him. He put his arms around her waist and rested his head on top of her own.

“You scared me, love,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” Lily replied honestly, feeling tears come forward.

She hated living in fear. Wondering when Voldemort would come knocking at their door. When her life would end. Even after a week of making Peter their secret keeper, the Potters were still scared that Harry would never be safe. Their first and only son was wanted by the most powerful wizard in the wizarding world. And it was all because of a prophecy.

“Harry?” Lily said, picking up her son, “Let’s go inside, okay?”

Softly we tremble tonight,
Picture perfect fading smiles are all that's left in site,
I said I'd never leave you'll never change
I'm not satisfied with where I'm at in life.

Sitting on the couch in front of the fire, Lily leaned up against James, she breathed in his scent she had never been able to distinguish what it was, but every time it filled her senses, she had to take a minute to close her eyes and smile. But even tonight, James’ scent could not calm her. Something wasn’t right tonight and it unsettled both James and Lily.

Harry was sleeping in his play-pen, his small hand wrapped around the arm of teddy bear. Lily smiled at him, wishing she could be happy. She had wanted a family her whole life. She dreamed of the perfect little children with the perfect husband. And now she had that. She had James. He took the title of perfect husband hands down. Even after three years of being married and five years of dating, James had treated her no different.

He repeatedly told Lily that he would die for her, as long as she lived for him. Lily didn’t know how she would manage that, but she promised James she would. Knowing that he would argue with her over it for hours afterwards. He could be very stubborn sometimes. Like while they were still in Hogwarts, he insisted that she was in love with him. And though Lily did not want to admit it and did not finally notice her feelings until her seventh year, James had been right. Lily just wished that she had noticed her love for James before. Their relationship was strong and loving from the start.

“Oh, James,” Lily whispered, burying her face in James’ chest, “Why is this happening to us? What did we ever do to have to live like this?”

“I don’t know, Lily, but everything had it’s reasons,” James said, kissing her on top of her head, “But we’ll get through it.”

“Will we? I don’t like where we are, James. I don’t like it at all,” Lily’s voice was full of emotion as it cracked.

Am I supposed to be happy?
With all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.
Am I supposed to be happy?
With all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.
You said, you said that you would die for me...

“Lily, you have to think positive,” James said, pushing her up and turning her around. He looked her straight in the eye as he spoke, “You have a beautiful son, you’re still alive, and we still have each other.”

“But James, ever since we left school out lives have been at risk,” Lily argued, tears returning to her eyes, “We fought him once and then again, and the second time was out wedding day! He’s going to keep coming, James, and we can only outsmart him so many times.”

“I know, Lily, I know,” James said, pulling his beloved wife into his arms and tangling a hand in her thick, red tresses. Lily broke down on his shoulder and he held her close. Once she settled down, James said, “We’re safe for now, Lily, we’re safe. Peter is loyal. We’ll be okay.”

Lily nodded against his chest and her tears slowed before they came to a stop. She shifted slightly so she could sit closer to James more comfortably. James didn’t loosen the tight embrace he had Lily in as she leaned against him again, staring at her son once more. Already, she could tell he would grow up to look like James. She just hoped he didn’t have James’ streak for trouble to go along with it.

We made plans to grow old,
Believe me there was truth in all those stories that I told.
Lost in a simple game 'n' cat and mouse are we the same people as before this came to light?

At ten o’clock, Lily woke from an doze. An unsettling feeling had crept it’s way deeper into her mind. The hair on the back of her neck rose and she shivered. James also woke from his own doze and shifted, looking at Lily and then checking to make sure Harry was still there. The toddler was now awake, too.

“Dada!” he said, “Keditch! Keditch, Dada!”

“Already obsessed with the game,” Lily muttered as she sat up, rubbing some sleep out of her eyes.

“Keditch!” Harry shouted again.

“Sshh,” James said, moving towards his son’s play-pen and lifting him up and out of it, “It’s too late for Quidditch.”

Lily watched as James bounced Harry up and down. Harry reached forward, taking James’ glasses and putting them in his mouth. James laughed, pulling his glasses back and scolding Harry lightly. He handed his glasses to Lily, asking her to clean them from baby drool. As Lily did so, she watched James and Harry again, smiling.

This was how she wanted her life to be forever. James was so good with Harry. It made her laugh how protective and fatherly he was with him. She wouldn’t have guessed at sixteen that James would grow up enough to be a good–no, wonderful–father.

She had expected them to be happy once they had gotten together. But no, the have to run from Voldemort.

Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.
Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.
You said, you said that you would die for me...

Lily sat down on the couch with two mugs of hot tea in her hand. She gave one to James and then wrapped both hands around the second cup. Harry was sitting on the floor again, out of his play-pen. He giggled with delight at the crackling flames in the fire, though he knew better then to get close.

And then, BANG!

It came from the front door so loud and so sudden that Lily almost upset her tea. Then both her and James froze, dread filling their insides. Not even bothering to use a coaster, Lily and James put their tea on the table, James’ tipping over. James grabbed Harry, who was crying from the sudden bang.

BANG!

It came again and this time, neither Lily or James froze. James thrust Harry at Lily, who quickly grabbed him.

“It’s him!” he said, fear and determined bravery was in his eyes, “Lily, take Harry and go! It’s him!” James pulled out his wand, moving towards the front door, his voice filled with panic, “It’s him! Go! Run! I’ll hold him off!”

“James!” Lily cried. James just looked back at Lily.

“I love you, Lily,” he said and then he was gone.

Tears streaming down her face, Lily turned and fled, holding Harry close to her chest as she hurried up the stairs. She heard crackling and banging down below and then the two words she dreaded.

“Avada Kedavra!”

You must live for me too'...
For me too..
yeah, yeah....

“No,” Lily moaned, pausing at the top of the stairs. James was stronger then that. He didn’t last more then two minutes. Another bang and Lily was running again, her tears suddenly stopping and determination to save her son. He was going to live through this, she vowed.

She closed and locked the door to Harry’s nursery and put Harry in his crib.

You said that you would die for me...

Kissing Harry’s forehead and ignoring the footsteps that were steadily coming closer, Lily did some quick spell work. Her wand tapping Harry on the forehead and then herself. Again, she kissed Harry. She hugged him, before kissing him again.

The footsteps were louder now.

“I’m going to die for you, Harry,” Lily whispered, looking at her crying toddler who had no idea what was happening, “You’re going to be okay.” she promised. Lily just hoped that, even with the empty space that seemed to leave with the death of James, her spell would work.

Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.
Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price
You said, you said that you would die for me...

The door burst open and Lily spun around. Her insides went cold when she saw the cold, snake-like face of Voldemort. He sneered at Lily and looked at Harry. Determined, Lily stepped in front of Harry. She had to die first for it to work.

“Step aside,” Voldemort ordered, “You don’t have to die, step aside!”

“Not Harry,” Lily pleaded, desperate, “not Harry, please not Harry!”

Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.
Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price
You said, you said that you would die for me...

Voldemort laughed, his white face stretching in a miserable, sickening way as it attempted to form a smile. But all the work did was manage to make Voldemort look uglier and more haunted. Lily felt her tears again, but refused to let them fall. She was not going to be weak in front of this man. This thing.

“Step aside, you silly girl,” Voldemort ordered. Lily pulled herself to her full height and stared at the monster before him. Her gaze didn’t waver as he laughed again.

“Stand aside, now!” he said.

“Not Harry,” Lily repeated, her voice was shrill and panicky even in her sudden calm. She was shaking only slightly, “Please no, take me, kill me instead—” she begged. He stepped forward and Lily panicked even more.

Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.
Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price
You said, you said that you would die for me...

“Not Harry! Please. . .have mercy! Have mercy!” Lily screamed, taking Harry’s hand for the last time. He was still crying.

Voldemort raised his wand, pointing it at Lily’s chest. She suddenly no longer feared death. Harry would live, she knew, if she died. And she would be with James again. She wouldn’t have to suffer the loss of her husband, nor would she have live in fear anymore. The only thing about dying would be missing her son grow up happy and healthy. That is, if he remained safe.

“Have mercy,” Lily begged once more.

Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price.
Am I supposed to be happy?
with all I ever wanted, it comes with a price
You said, you said that you would die for me...

“Avada Kedavra!”

Author's Note: This idea popped in my head two weeks ago while listening to the song, but since I don't care for song-fics, I decided not to write it. But i couldn't get the plot out of my head and ended up writing it anyways, seeing how it seemed the only thing I could possibly do.

I had fun writing it and I do hope that you enjoyed reading it.

Please review and tell me your thouhts.
i want the good, the bad, the okay.